Thorn In the Flesh

Growing up we had a sailboat, Sea Dawn, named after my mom and I.  We would spend weekends on the waterway, not many people out and if there were you probably knew them.  I loved sleeping on the boat, hearing the metal ping on the mast and the lapping of the water!  Pastor Chris’ sermon reminded me of being still and stuck, and then having to change the direction of the sail in order to move forward.  God knew what I needed to hear that Sunday!

Pastor Chris talked about the thorn in the flesh.  2 Corinthians 12: 6-7, “Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say,  or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.”  Life may give us things we have no choice about but how we handle those things is our choice!  We cannot fix it ourselves, we need God!

We sang one of my favorite songs, “I Speak Jesus” by Darlene Zschech.  The lyrics are:

I just want to speak the name of Jesus, over fear and all anxiety. To every soul held captive by depression, I speak Jesus. Your name is power. Your name is healing. Your name is life. Break every stronghold.  Shine through the shadows.  Burn like the fire.  

As I sang and believed God’s promises I knew He would guide us through the troubled waters.

Paul told us in 2 Corinthians 12: 9, “‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”   

We sang, “Your Love Is Strong” by Jon Foreman:

So why should I worry? Why do I freak out? Two things You told me: That You are strong and You love me. 

When we let go and let God we have peace. God is strong and He loves us!  Trust Him!